The life of Elizabeth Darcy
by WTDWL
Summary: What happened after Jane Austen stopped writing? How did the future look for our heroes and heroines? All these question are answered in the story of the new Mrs. Darcy's life added with a pinch of other Jane Austen stories.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one**

After the marriage to Mr. Darcy everything seemed to fall into place for a while. Though Elizabeth often missed her family, she loved her new surroundings at Pemberly. Her father often came to visit and after a couple of years Charles and Jane Bingley bought an estate in Derbyshire and moved, which made Elizabeth think of how happy she was that all she had been missing now had moved close to her.

Kitty came to spend most of her time at her sisters' houses and everybody could see how it changed her character for the better. Already at her first ball in Derbyshire where she had been introduced to many different people who were all above her in beauty and rank, she behaved like no one would have thought possible, and Elizabeth and Jane were very much satisfied with her improvements.

Mary mostly stayed at home, helped her mother, and kept her company. And as the only daughter at home she was forced out in society much more often than she was used to. And though she made her complaints her father suspected her of enjoying herself (having likings isn't really a phrase I've ever heard before).

Elizabeth often walked around the gardens of Pemberly and thought of her almost perfect life. Of course she had her problems too, but her worries disappeared in most respects after her marriage. And so came the bright and warm summer day when she took her letters to the garden to read them and enjoy the silence. The first letter was from her dearest sister Jane Bingley.

_My dear sister!  
As you know I have been feeling rather ill with the child growing and in such haste. My dear Charles has been very worried about me and sent for a or the doctor two days ago when I felt more ill than ever before. The doctor says I'm to be fine, but as you may imagine it came as quite a surprise when he said I was growing so fast he thinks there is more than one child. Oh such happiness to be blessed with two children at once! Charles is very excited, though the news did not seem to make him more at ease. I only wish you were by my side to support me. Mother wrote last that she was too busy to visit at the time, but I hope she will hasten the visit when she hears the news.  
Your always beloved sister,  
Jane Bingley_

Elizabeth sat very still. She was filled with both great joy for her sister's happiness and great distress. She had for a long time felt very sorry and been worried because her sister had felt very ill lately. And the news only made her worries worse. Also the news of their mother not helping Jane when she needed it was most extraordinary. Such behavior had she never expected from her parents and it made her feel that something was very much wrong.

When she opened the next letter from her friend Charlotte Collins she was still thinking about the news from Jane, but the letter from Charlotte made all her worries disappear from her mind for a while.

_Dearest Lizzie!  
I write with great pleasure and joy. I am with child! Mr. Collins is very thrilled and keeps telling me not to stress (unless you meant that he used the wrong word, in which case distress would work) myself. He hopes the child is a boy. Lady Catherine has been most kind and sent for the doctor as soon as she heard, just to be sure everything was all right. I have written for Maria to come and help out and I hope her arrival will be as soon as possible. Kitty is also very welcome to pay a visit. I know how attached she is to Maria and how fond they have grown of each other's company.  
Oh Lizzie, such joy and happiness I feel. I hope you too will come and visit me soon, if not before then after the birth.  
Your affectionate friend,  
Charlotte Collins_

As Elizabeth had read the letter twice to be sure of all the details she ran inside the house to find her husband. As soon as Mr. Darcy saw her coming he stopped to let her tell what seemed so important and soon Kitty came too from her daily walk. She had seen her sister run inside and hurried after her.

The next morning the carriage was ready for Kitty to take her to the Collin's cottage near Rosings. A messenger had been sent shortly after they received the letter from Mrs. Collins and Elizabeth felt such joy and happiness that morning. Georgiana was to go with Mr. and Mrs. Darcy to visit Jane.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

Jane was feeling better already as she saw her sister enter the door with her husband and Georgiana. Her stomach had grown since they last paid a visit and Elizabeth had not imagined how it would change the looks of her sister. Mr. Bingley soon joined them and while he talked to Mr. Darcy Jane told her guests the latest news.  
Jane was to go to London the first day she felt able to travel as far, and though Elizabeth tried she could not hide her concern for her sister.  
- "I know you are worried Lizzie, but the doctors in London are much more accomplished and Mr. Bingley wants the best care I can get."  
- "I know you are doing all you can, but you look so pale. Are you sure you do want some rest?"  
- "No, I'm quite contented", she said and smiled vaguely.

Elizabeth did not feel at ease on the way home in the carriage and Mr. Darcy kept looking at her with sorrow in his eyes. He didn't like to see Elizabeth unhappy or worried and even Georgiana stayed quiet all the way.

That evening Mr. Darcy still tried to comfort his wife but Elizabeth could now only think of what Jane had said moments before the departure. Jane had pulled Elizabeth at side and said quietly:  
"Our Mother wrote again. She cannot come to London and comfort me there, but she sends Mary as my companion. Oh Lizzie, I feel something is very wrong! What can be so important that it will prevent our parents from helping now?"  
Elizabeth felt Darcy's arms around her and the warmth of his body but it didn't calm her down and that night she hardly slept at all.

Three days later the first letter arrived from Jane in London. She used only few words about their travel because she had other things on her mind. She wrote that Mary had joined them in London and that she had seemed rather distressed. She had avoided Jane's looks and it was clear that she was hiding something. Jane didn't know what, but trusted Mary to speak truth when she was ready to. And as Mary arrived their new neighbor had called upon them which had led Jane on other thoughts. He had been looking at Mary most of the time with the look of an admirer. His name was Mr. Rushworth and he was a very wealthy man. He was married to a Maria Bertram but after a scandalous runaway he was alone again now with a bad reputation and loss of a great deal of respect. But in spite of this sad story he was still a good match for their sister Mary and after Jane and Elizabeth married highly respected men, Mary was no longer the worst catch for a man who had felt both disappointment and shame.  
Elizabeth felt very happy for her sister. She had long felt sorry for Mary because Elizabeth had detected some linking from her side when Mr. Collins had shown for finding a wife amongst the Bennets. Mary was not the type of girl who sought romance and true love. She wanted to do what was best for her family but was not blessed with either beauty or brightness.

In the letter Jane seemed less distressed in her new and safer surroundings. And as Mr. Rushworth had promised to call upon them again she was very happy for Mary. Jane was not the type of girl to talk of marriage before a proposal and it made Elizabeth sure that the signs of detachment were clear on Mr. Rushworth's side.  
Elizabeth already knew of the story of Mr. Rushworth. It had been a big scandal in the society in London and therefore much talked of. Many people assumed that Mr. Rushworth would either retire from high society or remarry. Now Elizabeth only hoped the last would be the case of Mr. Rushworth intentions.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

Only a week after the happy news from the Jane a new letter arrived. This was a wedding invitation to the wedding between Anne de Bourgh and a Captain Frederick Tilney. Elizabeth had expected the invitation for a while. It had been in the society section almost a week ago with details of the families. Captain Tilney was the elder of two brothers of General Tilney who owned Northanger Abbey. While the younger son had married a poor girl without importance and had become a clergyman, Captain Tilney was to inherit Nothanger Abbey.

Neither Elizabeth nor Fritzwilliam Darcy was thrilled by the news of the marriage. They both new that it was arranged by Lady Catherine de Bourgh because Captain Tilney was a wealthy man. Both Mr. and Mrs. Darcy felt sorry for Anne, but the wedding came and both Mr. and Mrs. Darcy had to attend to, though they did it without much pleasure. Only Georgiana Darcy was thrilled and excited about the wedding. She truly believed that the bride and groom loved each other like her brother and Elizabeth. She was only a bit nervous about being with so many fine and accomplished people at once. Though she had developed a spirit almost as kind as Jane Bingley's she was still very modest and shy.

After the wedding ceremony they all had a very fine dinner at Rosings. Lady Catherine had made many preparations and Elizabeth had a feeling that she was trying to show Mr. Darcy, how his own wedding could have been if he had not married Elizabeth. When she told Darcy that evening he only kissed her in reply. He had of course noticed but it only showed him that he made the right choice.  
Georgiana had been sitting next to Admiral Price at the dinner. He was staying at a friend's house near Rosings for the last month and had been visiting there several times. Georgiana told about the gentleman on the way home to Pemberly. She spoke slowly and kind of him but chose her words very carefully. As if she was trying to sound indifferent of him but wasn't successful. Elizabeth knew Georgiana well and to her it was clear that she had enjoyed his company and was sad to leave without plans of seeing him again. Georgiana had been very carefully with falling in love or even prefer one man to another after Wickham had disappointed her and left her brokenhearted. But the Admiral had clearly had made an impression on Georgiana and though Elizabeth would like to be happy for her she couldn't help feeling nervous about Georgiana. She only hoped they would meet the Admiral again so she could see if he really deserved Georgiana.

When they arrived to Pemberly a letter waited for Elizabeth. The letter was from her mother and it was written in hast with a nervous hand.

_Dearest Lizzie  
I write you with bad news from home – only God knows how bad and I ask you to come home as fast as you can. Your father is very sick, and I am afraid the days he will breathe are few. I ask for you not to write Jane about this urgent matter, Mr. Bingley has talked to a doctor in London, who says too much distress can hurt her and the unborn children.  
I ask you only to come home as soon as you can, my dearest Lizzie. I don't know what to do, and you know how my poor nerves affect me. I'm in pain and shivering all over. Oh Lizzie, help me. _


	4. Chapter 4

**The ending**

I'm truly sorry for not uploading the end to this story before now. I always thought I would find time to finish it but I can see now that this is a project I'll never finish. I simply cannot cope with the work. But since I already planned how the story was to end you'll get a quick version.

―

After receiving the letter from her mother, Elizabeth went home where her father shortly after died of old age. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Bennet went to help out Jane in London. Mr. and Mrs. Collins move into Longbourn where Kitty stays to help Charlotte out. Mary soon get's married to Mr. Rushworth.

The last chapter was supposed to be "a year after"-chapter  
Georgiana and Admiral Price look for an estate after their wedding but they have some trouble finding a proper estate. Kitty get's engaged with a gentleman respected for his nature but with no special fortune to recommend him. But Kitty is at this point eager to get married like her sisters and she feels attached to the gentleman. Jane is still recovering upon the twin birth. She is very week and gets tired when she walks too far. She is, however, happy about her situation because her sons are both strong and healthy. Mrs. Bennet stayed in London helping out Jane, apart from quick visits at the rest of her daughters, throughout the rest of her life.


End file.
